Kremlin says dialogue with U.S. on nuclear arms control is essential

MOSCOW, March 7 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Friday that it was essential to engage in a dialogue with the United States on nuclear arms control after President Donald Trump made a broad call for the world's nuclear powers to ditch their weapons.

Trump, who has pledged to make denuclearisation a goal in his second term, said on Thursday "it would be great if everybody got rid of their nuclear weapons".

Russia and the United States hold by far the largest nuclear weapons arsenals in the world, followed by China.

The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New START, which caps the number of strategic nuclear warheads that the U.S. and Russia can deploy, is due to run out in February 2026.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said any arms dialogue with Washington must also take into account European nuclear arsenals.

He said this had taken on greater salience after French President Emmanuel Macron floated the idea on Wednesday of placing European allies under the protection of France's nuclear arsenal.